1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera apparatus having a communicating device that performs a signal process for video data and audio data corresponding to the transmission capacity of a communication line suitable for a signal transmission of news materials and so forth to a broadcasting station and so forth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data rate of high definition video data of A the current television broadcasting systems (NTSC and PAL systems) is for example 270 Mbps (including a blanking portion). Thus, to transmit video data (and/or audio data) that is output from a camera, a communication line having a sufficient transmission capacity is required. When such a communication line is not used, the video data and audio data should be compressed on the transmitting side. The compressed video data and audio data should be decompressed on the receiving side. Examples of the data compressing standards are motion JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group), MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group), and MPEG-2.
When news materials photographed and recorded by a camera apparatus or the like at site are transmitted to a broadcasting station, a large scale relaying facility using for example a satellite line or a microwave line is required. Alternatively, a record medium on which news materials have been recorded should be removed from the camera and delivered to the broadcasting station.
However, when video data and audio data that are not compressed are transmitted using a communication line, since the line renting fee is expensive, this method is unpractical. Thus, it is difficult to directly transmit raw video data to the broadcasting station. On the other hand, when a record medium is delivered to the broadcasting station, the immediacy and mobility are insufficient. Whenever video data and audio data that are compressed are transmitted, if a transmission line is selected, the compression rate should be changed corresponding to the transmission capacity of the selected transmission line.
An object of the present invention is to provide a camera apparatus having a communicating device that can be connected to a plurality of different communication lines and that can perform a signal process corresponding to the selected communication line and thereby quickly and effectively transmit data.
To solve the above-described problem, a first aspect of the present invention is a camera apparatus having a communicating device for transmitting a video signal photographed and processed by a camera or a video signal temporarily recorded in a record medium to a remote location, comprising a connecting means for connecting a plurality of different communication lines, a setting and inputting means for designating one of the plurality of different communication lines and setting a transmission condition, a controlling means for determining whether or not the video signal is transmissible to the remote location with the transmission rate of the designated communication line corresponding to an output signal of the setting and inputting means and generating control information when the video signal is transmissible, and a signal processing means for processing a transmission signal for the designated communication line corresponding to the control information supplied from the controlling means.
A second aspect of the present invention is a communicating method for transmitting a video signal photographed and processed by a camera or a video signal temporarily recorded in a record medium to a remote location, comprising the steps of (a) connecting a plurality of different communication lines, (b) designating one of the plurality of different communication lines and setting a transmission condition, (c) determining whether or not the video signal is transmissible to the remote location with the transmission rate of the designated communication line corresponding to an output signal that is output at step (b) and generating control information when the video signal is transmissible, and (d) processing a transmission signal for the designated communication line corresponding to the control information supplied at step (c).
According to the present invention, when the transmission condition has been set, the controlling means determines whether or not a desired signal can be transmitted at the transmission rate of a selected communication line. When the controlling means has determined that the desired signal cannot be transmitted, the controlling means generates information of the determined result and supplies it to the displaying means. When the controlling means has determined that the desired signal can be transmitted with a partial change of the transmission condition, the controlling means generates information for prompting the user to change the transmission condition and supplies it to the displaying means. When the controlling means has determined that the desired signal can be transmitted, the controlling means generates information of the determined result and supplies it to the displaying means. When the controlling means has determined that the desired signal can be more effectively transmitted with a partial change of the transmission condition, the controlling portion generates information for prompting the user to change the transmission condition and supplies it to the displaying means. When the controlling means has determined that the desired signal can be transmitted and the user has performed a predetermined operation, the controlling means generates control information for controlling each portion so as to effectively perform the transmitting process corresponding to the transmission capacity of the selected communication line. Thus, the user can easily perform various settings corresponding to the information displayed on the displaying means. In addition, in the real transmitting process, the signal can be quickly and effectively transmitted.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.